Geology and Geochemistry of Recent Sediments from the Mediterranean Sea: Sediment Texture of Northeastern Mediterranean Basin

Abstract

Surface sediment samples collected from the north-eastern Mediterranean were analysed for their geochemical and sedimentological properties. The sediment texture of the studied area represents a wide variety of sediment types (extending from sandy gravel to mud) and is characterized by relatively high mud content with varying silt and clay fractions. Due to the rich presence of biogenic materials, several coarse-grained sediment patches displaying high CaCO3 content occur. The organic carbon content of the sediments mainly reflects the standard Mediterranean production of organic matter. There are some exceptional areas in coastal zones which result from pollution by perennial river discharge.